Edna Molewa, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, the Republic of South Africa

Esteemed guests, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,

To begin, I would like to offer your Excellencies my warmest congratulations for the convening of the first BRICS Ministerial meeting on the Environment. I wish this inspiring initiative, whose seeds were sown at the inaugural UNEA last June, enduring success.

It is indeed a privilege to address this distinguished gathering and I extend my appreciation to you and the Russian Federation, our generous hosts, for this kind invitation.

UNEP has worked closely with BRICS nations though the past years, witnessing first-hand the leadership, vision and determination by BRICS governments to embrace a bold transition towards low carbon resource efficiency, inclusive green economic growth and overall sustainable development.

The establishment of environmental public-private partnership mechanisms in the context of the BRICS, taking the Saint Petersburg Initiative into account, will undoubtedly expedite and further strengthen the transition and will serve as a platform for knowledge sharing, technology transfer and investment.

Innovative financial mechanisms under the BRICS, such as the soon-to-be launched New Development Bank and the Contingent Reserves Arrangement, have the potential to not only ease short-term liquidity pressure and contribute to international financial stability, but also has the potential to construct an enduring green infrastructure, longer term competitiveness for the BRICS economies and strengthen South-South cooperation.